Oh the Places You'll Go

I know it's been over two weeks since my last post and that is for a number of factors. One, I was getting over a really nasty cold. Two, I had a weekend trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and it was the best trip I've had in my life, and most importantly, I'm just really really lazy. If that isn't a suitable excuse then I had a lot of homework to get done (and I am not kidding about that). I still have a paper to finish for tomorrow but I figured everyone has waited long enough to know how my trip went and to be honest, I can't help but brag at how wonderful it was.

I'll try not to bore you with so many words when I have lots of pictures that can tell you more.

First off, Stratford-upon-Avon is in the English countryside and it is absolutely gorgeous! Granted it was very rainy when I was there but the experience was still spectacular. Also if you don't know already, this is Shakespeare's hometown and the people there will definitely never let you forget that fact. Not to mention the the Royal Shakespeare Company is headquartered there and they put on plays all year round. So the moment I stepped off the train, I was having such a freak out. I like Shakespeare, hence why I chose to take the class over here and getting the chance to be around people who like the same things and were having minor freakouts of their own, made me feel like I had found the perfect place for me.

Anyway, the first night there we were treated to dinner at one of the bed and breakfasts we were staying at. Homemade lasagna and banoffee pie for dessert. Both were amazing and the banoffee pie was the best dessert I have ever had. Just to clarify it's banana and toffee pie that has cream on top, chocolate chips and a graham cracker crust (now don't tell me that doesn't sound like heaven to you). Afterwards we were off to the Royal Shakespeare Company where we saw a production of the Life of Galileo. It was a pretty good play, though I was so tired from the trip and extremely full from dinner that it took a little bit to get into it. However what boggled me the entire performance was the fact that the guy who played Galileo looked so familiar. It wasn't until afterwards when I saw the cast list that it was IAN MCDIARMID! PALPATINE FROM STAR WARS!!

And to rub it in your face just a little more, I GOT TO SPEAK WITH HIM THE NEXT DAY! He was on his break and another girl went with me to congratulate him on the play. We didn't get a picture because he didn't want to be disturbed while he relaxed, which is very understandable but the fact that I got to actually meet this guy and speak words to him was the highlight of my whole trip.

The following day was jam packed with visits to Shakespeare's Birth Place, Hall's Croft, Nash House, Shakespeare's grave, a filling dinner at a pub called the Dirty Duck (where I saw another actor from the play but she was talking to friends), and seeing The Winter's Tale to end off the night. When I got back to my room I was exhausted! Thankfully we were able to sleep in the next morning before heading to Anne Hathaway's cottage (Shakespeare's wife, not the actress) and having afternoon tea before boarding the train back to London.

Let me just say this: I have never eaten so much or drank so much tea in my life. I was full the entire weekend that when I got back I didn't eat dinner. I also must have had at least 10 cups of tea over the course of the trip but it was so worth it! I don't like coffee and the fact that England is big on tea makes it even better.

Here are some pictures from my weekend:

self explanatory

the street where Shakespeare's Birth Place is located

the actual birthplace

an extremely energetic guy who performed Shakespeare sonnets and skits

letters from Oscar Wilde to Bram Stoker (not Shakespeare related but still really friggin cool!)

best way to exit off a stage
 

Garden outside Nash's Hall
 

statue representing Macbeth

 

can't remember which statue this is but it's cool nonetheless

 

Statues in the garden of Nash's House each represented a Shakespeare play

 

Here we go 'round the mulberry tree!
 

again can't remember which statue this was but it's funky looking (in a good way)
 

Shakespeare with his muse
 

the bed and breakfast I stayed in (they also had a very playful black lab named Harry who was adorable!)
 

church where Shakespeare's grave is held
 

the inside of the church
 

again self-explanatory (his wife, daughter, and son-in-law are buried next to him)
 

Anne Hathaway's cottage

Afternoon tea! By the way, scones with clotted cream and jam is the best snack with tea ever invented. Highly recommend you try it.


I also made a lot of new friends on this trip who not only share my enjoyment of Shakespeare but other things as well. It also allowed me to get to know my professor a bit more because he is pretty chill and really really funny. Furthermore I'm sorry I don't have a picture of the Royal Shakespeare Company building. I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me to take one but my camera died on Saturday (the batteries in the UK suck fyi) so most of the time I was taking pictures on my phone. However since it was really rainy and wet, I didn't want to take it out so much and waste that battery. Also can you blame me for being really into this experience? I thought coming to London was a dream come true but actually being in Shakespeare's hometown and walking the same ground where he walked, as well as his family and not to mention where famous actors have been, was just something I never thought was imaginable. So if you ever come to England, definitely go to this town. Also there is a milkshake shop near the birth place called Blue Cow that has some REALLY good milkshakes and you can mix and match whatever you want. I had the Merchant of Vanilla (vanilla ice cream, milky bar, marshmallows and a few other things) and it was delicious!

So that was my Stratford trip and can you believe that spring break starts Friday? That means I'm already halfway through with my spring semester and I'll be starting my internship when I get back. Oh yeah I almost forgot about that! Half of the semester is classes and the second half is an internship and I was placed with a post-production company located in Soho. I wanted to see if film production was a career path I wanted to follow because I'm torn between wanting to continue writing (such as Journalism) or get into film editing because I like how the process works. I'm glad I get the opportunity to see how this goes because over here, there are a lot of independent companies that work with television and film. The one I was placed with does a lot of things for Channel 4 and MTV. It's a relatively new company called Lucky Cat but everyone seems nice and it looked like a great atmosphere when I went in for my interview. Not sure how I'll handle working 9 to 5:30 three days a week but hey, welcome to the real world.

As for my next trip, I'm heading to Barcelona and Paris for spring break and I'll be leaving Friday afternoon. It's weird to think that by this time next week I'll be in Spain and then jetting off to France. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself because it's hard to believe that I'm actually traveling around Europe. I never thought I would ever get the chance to do this and I'm super excited but also very nervous about being there on my own. Well, not technically on my own, I'll have people with me but I'm pretty much responsible for everything and that is terrifying in itself.

However this is what it means to grow up. At some point or other you have to learn that although you can be in a comfortable environment, whether it is in school with your friends or being at home with your family, you will be placed in uncomfortable situations that you will have to handle on your own and that's what I have been doing for the past two months that I've been here. England is deceivingly similiar to the US. I am still trying to navigate my way around on buses and figure out what food is equivalent of something from back home. It's not easy and there are times I wish my parents could be here to help me out. But then I wouldn't learn anything. Not every day will be smooth and I've finally had my share of rough days here, especially when you have a fever and all you want are your mother's hugs to make you feel better.

I know Barcelona and Paris will have something in store for me and although I'm nervous to find out what that is, I'm also excited to take on this adventure. Hopefully this time I can make my camera last the entire week without the batteries failing. There are just some things about home that you can't help but miss.

Cheers!